Karnıyarık — Turkish Meat-Stuffed Eggplant
Karnıyarık is the warm, meat-filled cousin of olive-oil imam bayıldı. The eggplant is slit down its belly, filled with a savory minced-meat mixture, and baked until tender. Serve with rice pilaf and cacık.
Serves 4 | Prep 25 minutes | Cook 55 minutes
Ingredients
• 4 small eggplants (about 900 g)
• 250 g minced beef
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green peppers, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped, plus 1 sliced for topping
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, chopped parsley
• 180 ml hot water
Method
Peel alternating strips from the eggplants and slit lengthwise without cutting through. Salt for 15 minutes, pat dry, then brush with oil and roast at 200°C / 390°F for about 25 minutes until soft.
Cook onion and peppers in 2 tablespoons oil for 6 minutes. Add beef and brown thoroughly. Stir in garlic, chopped tomatoes, half the tomato paste, salt and pepper; simmer until moist but not watery. Fold in parsley.
Gently spread open the eggplants in a baking dish and spoon in the filling. Place a tomato slice and pepper strip on each. Dissolve remaining tomato paste in hot water and pour around, rather than over, the eggplants.
Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 25–30 minutes until the sauce bubbles and eggplants are fully tender. Rest 10 minutes and serve hot.
Kitchen note: Roasting is a lighter alternative to the traditional shallow frying; the slit and tomato topping preserve the familiar presentation.
